Valve mechanism for air-brake systems.



W. AUSTIN.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, m4.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

INVENTOR 206mm eflufiivv.

ATTORNEYS 2 \.I= 9 1 w 40 3 W 1 D 1, h

WILLIAM AUSTIN, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOMICHAEL 'W'. OIBOYLE, F PITTS'IGN, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALV E MECHANISM FOR AIR-BRAKE SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application filed March 39, 1914. Serial No. 828,280.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM AUsrrN, residing at Scranton, in the countyof Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Air-Brake Systems, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in air brakevalves and locking means therefor, the mechanism forming thesubject-matter of my present application being specifically designed forvides a valve, preferably of the plug type,

which will be first fully the stem of which carries an air operate latchor detent to cooperate with the locking quadrant and secure the valvelever against displacement during the time air, under pressure, ispassing through the valve, whereby to prevent the valve from beingshifted during the time the air is passing through the same.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby should theengineer fail to set the main valve to permit passage of the train pipeair upon opening matic or trip valve, the connection with the train pipeair will be automatically made whenever the engineer moves the lever ofthe engineers valve of the air brake system from its lap or neutralposition. Y

Again, the invention resides in providing a valve mechanism in which theparts are so constructed as to be inexpensive to manufacture, strong,durable and not likely to be injured in service.

More subordinately, the invention includes those novel details ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, all-of described,then be specifically pointed out in detail, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which;

the auto- Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view showing my invention,and showing the detent in the latching position. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview showing the detent in its retracted position. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters andnumerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1represents the valve casing which is bored at 2, to receive the valveproper 3. The casing 1, in the construction illustrated, is providedwith two entrant passages 4-5, a single discharge or outlet passage 6,the entrant. passages being adapted for connection with the train pipeof an air brake system andthe outlet passage 6 being adapted forconnection with the control valve which, when opened, permits the escapeof air to said brake.

The valve proper 3 has a peripheral groove 7 for effecting communicationbetween the discharge passage 6 and either of the entrant passages 4-5,the said groove being so designed, however, that when the valve lever 19is in its vertical or mid-position communication between any of thepassages 45 is cut ofi.

8 is a bore which extends through the valve proper 3 and through thesquared lever end 9, the bore being designed for effecting communicationbetween the spring pocket 10 and the pipe 26 for a purpose laterexplained.

The valve opening of the casing 1 is adapted to be closed by a screwplug 11 having a flange 12 to seat against the casing 1 and a nutportion 13, by means of which the plug can be turned. The plug 11 iscounterbored to form a continuation of the spring pocket 10 and acts asthe spring pocket for retaining the spring 14, which functions to holdthe valve proper 3 seated air-tight.

15 is an air pipe than the discharge adapted to be connected with thedischarge at a place beyond the trip valve 27 so that when the tripvalve 27 is opened a portion of the escaping air will pass through thepipe 15 into the spring pocket 10 from of a smaller diameter 6, and thepipe 15 is of the brakes.

valve lever 19. I

whence it flows through the bore 8 into the pipe 26.

'17 is the air cylinder of the locking or latching detent 23, whichdetent is mounted for longitudinal movement in the bearing 18 of thecylinder 17, the said bearing being tapped into the lever 19 and thereis provided a suitably packed piston 22 within the cylinder 17, and thepiston 22 is adapted to be pressed in one direction by a spring 24, andin the other enters the cylinder from the pipe 26 through the plug cap25.

2-0 is the quadrant which is provided with detent receiving holes21,.corresponding to the open positions of adjustment of the Inoperation, when the control valve 27 is :opened to bleed the train pipepressure and thereby set the brakes a portion of the escaping airpassing through the pipe 15, bore 8 and pipe 10, will enter the cylinder17 and impel the piston 22 to effect the locking function, therebyprojecting the detent 23 into the opposite hole 21 of the quandrantduring the time the air pressure is above atmosphere, the latchingfunction being automatically released upon a flow in the pressure to apressure less than the force of the spring 24. The purpose of this is toprevent the valve 3 from being moved to cut off the escaping air andunauthorizedly prevent the setting The valve casing 1 is provided with asupplemental casing 28 in like member '29 that has a chamber 30 incommunication with the bore 2, but cut oflf from the ducts 4-56, by thevalve proper 3 except when the lever 19 is in the vertical position. Atthat time, thereis a communication between the chamber 30 and the duct 6through the medium of the auxiliary pas sages 31 in the valve proper.The chamber 30 is normally cut out of communication with the chamber 32by piston valves 33 that are mounted on a rod 34 which passes through agland 35 and connects with the engineers brake valve lever 36 so thatwhen the engineer puts his brake valve on lap to operatively disconnectthe air brakes of the engine, asin the case when the engine is acting asthe second engine of the double header, there will be no communicationbetween the chamber 30 and the chamber 32 and should the engineer forgetto set the lever 19 over when he cuts loose from the train, thecommunication between the train pipe air and the duct 6 will be had assoon as he moves his brake valve out of lap position into the usualrunning positions. This communication is efl'ected from the train lineby air through the auxiliaryduct 37, as best indicated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings.

direction by the air which which is a nipple-1 invention to a trainstopping system of the character disclosed in my co -pending applicationreferred to; V V 1 From the foregoingdescription, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, it is thought the complete constructionoperation and advantages of my inventionwill be readily understood bythose skilled in the .art to which it appertains. Y Whatl claim is: i'1. A maincont'rol valve,a plurality of inlet ducts leading into saidvalve, an outlet duct leading from said valve, said valve adapted tobring either of said inlet ducts intov communication, with said outletduct,

according to the position of said valve, a valve moving lever, aquadrant, and fluid pressure operated means mounted on said lever forlocking said lever and quadrant together durlng the time a fluid underpressure ispassmg through SitlCl valve. 7

2. A main control valve,'a plurality of inlet duets leading into saidvalve, an outlet duct leading from. said valve, said valve adapted intocommunication with said outlet duct, according to the position of'saidvalve, a valve moving lever, a quadrant, means for locking said leverand quadrant together during the time a fluid under pressure is passingthrough said valve, said means ineluding a cylinder andpiston-detentcarried by said lever andcadapted to engage said quadrant, and a ductfor tion-of the fluid which passes through the valveinto said cylinderagainst said piston to bring said detent into locking engagement withsaid quadrant.

3. A main control valve, a plurality of inlet ducts leading into saidvalve, an outlet duct leading from said valve, said valve adapted tobring either of said inlet ducts into communication with said outletduct, according to the position of said valve, a valve moving lever, aquadrant, means for locking said lever during the time a fluid underpressure is passing through said valve, said means inand quadranttogether tobring either of said inlet ducts conveying a poreludingacylinder and piston-detent caradmission and outlet ducts for saidcasing,-

said valve proper adapted to control communication between the outletand admission ducts according to the position of said valve proper, achamber in said casing adjacent to the end of said valve proper, a fluidinlet duct communicating with said chamber, said valve proper having afluid passage from said chamber to the outside of the valve proper, avalve moving lever, a piston mounted in said lever, a duct connectingsaid piston and the fluid passage of said valve proper, a detent-pistonin said cylinder adapted to be moved in one direction by fluid pressure,means for moving said piston in the opposite direction when said fluidpressure is released, a quadrant, said quadrant having detent holesaccording to the positions of said lever, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. A valve mechanism comprising a valve casing, a valve proper in thecasing, fluid admission and outlet ducts for said casing, said valveproper adapted to controlcommunication between the outlet and admissionducts according to the position of said valve proper, avchamber in saidcasing adjacent to the end of said valve proper, a fluid inlet ductcommunicating with said chamber, said valve proper having a fluidpassage from said chamber to the outside of the valve proper, a valvemoving lever, a cylinder mounted on said lever, a duct connecting saidcylinder and the fluid passage of said valve proper, a detent-piston insaid cylinder adapted to be moved in one direction by fluid pressure,means for moving said piston in the opposite direction when said fluidpressure is released, a quadrant, said quadrant having detent holesaccording to the positions of said lever, and connections between saidoutlet of said valve casing and said casing chamber for conveying aportion of the discharge fluid to said chamber to thereby pass to saidcylinder and operate said detent-piston.

6. A valve mechanism of the class described comprising a valve casinghaving inlet and outlet passages, a valve proper controllingcommunication between the several passages, a valve operating lever andquadrant, and a fluid operated latch for securing said lever andquadrant together at times, said latch comprising a cylinder mounted onsaid lever, a piston mounted in said cylinder and having a detent, afixed quadrant having apertures to be engaged by said detent and a fluidconveying pipe connection between said valve and said cylinder.

7. A valve mechanism of the class described comprising a valve casinghaving inlet and outlet passages, a valve proper controllingcommunication between the several passages, a valve operating lever andquadrant, a fluid operated latch for securing said lever and quadranttogether at times, said casing including a supplemental valve chamber,an inlet duct in communication with said supplemental chamber, a valvepassageway between said chamber and said valve proper, said valve properhaving a supplemental fluid passage for conveying fluid from saidsupplemental chamber to said first mentioned outlet passage when saidvalve proper is in its out ofl position, and an auxiliary valve in saidsupplemental valve passage normally closing the same and adapted to bemoved to open said supplemental passage.

8. In a valve mechanism for air brake systems and the like, a valvecasing having a main valve chamber, a plurality of inlet ducts leadingto said chamber and an outlet duct leading from said chamber, a mainvalve proper controlling the passage between said ducts, said main valveproper adapted to close ofl communication between said outlet duct andthe other ducts when said valve is in a cutofl position, said valvecasing including a supplemental valve chamber, a duct leading into saidsupplemental valve chamber, a duct eflecting communication between saidsupplemental valve chamber and said main valve chamber, said main valveproper adapted to close said supplemental duct when said main valve isin either of its open positions, said main valve proper having asupplemental fluid passage to effect communication between saidsupplemental valve chamber and said main outlet duct when said mainvalve proper is in the cutofl' position, and a supplemental valve forcontrolling the passage of fluid from said supplemental valve chamberinlet to said supplemental duct to said main valve chamher.

9. In a valve mechanism for air brake systems and the like, a valvecasing having a main valve chamber, a plurality of inlet ducts leadingto said chamber and an outlet duct leading from said chamber, a mainvalve proper controlling the passage between said ducts, said main valveproper adapted to close off communication between said outlet duct andthe other ducts when said valve is in a cutoff position, said valvecasing including a supplemental valve chamber, a duct leading into saidsupplemental valve chamber, a duct efl'ecting communication between saidsupplemental valve chamber and said main valve chamber, said main valveproper adapted to close said supplemental duct when said main valve isin either of its open positions, said main valve proper having asupplemental fluid passage to efl'ect communication between saidsupplemental valve chamber and said main outlet supplemental duct Whensaid main valve proper is in the 1 for securing said lever and quadranttogether i cutofi position,a supplemental valve for con- When said leveris in any ofits predetertrolling the passage of fluid from said supminedpositions. plemental Valve chamber inlet to said supple- WILLIAM AUSTIN.

5 mental duct to said main valve chamber, a Witnesses:

valve operating lever and quadrant for said JAMES F. OBOYLE, main valveproper, and a fluid operated latch THOS. V. FLANAGAN..

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington D. G.

